Burnham to ask Trump for Patriot missiles after Kyiv visit
The Prime Minister visited Kyiv on Independence Day, pledged continued support, and now plans to lobby the US president for air defence systems.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has returned from his first foreign trip as prime minister, a visit to Kyiv on Ukraine's 35th Independence Day, and has said he will travel to the United States to ask President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with Patriot air defence missiles.
During the visit, Burnham took part in a ceremony alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky and announced that Britain would hand over the blueprints for Storm Shadow (or SCALP) cruise missiles, allowing Ukraine to produce its own long-range weapons. The missiles, developed jointly by Britain and France, can strike targets up to 155 miles inside Russian territory. Ukraine has already been using Storm Shadows supplied from British stocks, but this deal will enable domestic production, though experts caution it could take months or years to set up manufacturing lines.
Burnham also chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a group of more than 30 nations supporting Ukraine, alongside President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany. Zelensky used the meeting to appeal for more air defence systems, particularly Patriot interceptors, ahead of what is expected to be a harsh winter. Russia has intensified its ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, and Ukraine's stock of interceptors has run low in part because many US-produced Patriots have been used in the Middle East.
Russia reacted angrily to the announcement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Britain of "adding fuel to the fire" and of "participating in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime." Burnham responded bluntly: "Who started the fire?" He said Russia began the illegal invasion and could end it at any time, and that the UK's support was unwavering.
In a later interview with Bloomberg, Burnham confirmed that he would ask Trump directly for Patriot missiles. "We will give them the right to make Patriots. We will show them how to do it," Trump had said at a NATO summit last month, but later appeared to backtrack. Burnham's trip and his pledge to press the US president are seen as an attempt to maintain Western unity and fill the gap left by America's ambivalence.
The visit also yielded reciprocal benefits for Britain. Ukraine's battlefield experience with drones and AI targeting systems is being shared with the UK, allowing British defence firms to access cutting-edge technology developed in the war. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the latest deal does not include sharing of Patriot technology, but France has already authorised Ukraine to use its technology to manufacture its own interceptors.
Back in London, the Houses of Parliament and the Ministry of Defence headquarters were lit up in Ukrainian colours to mark Independence Day. The day was also marked by a Russian drone strike on a high-rise building in Chernihiv, injuring at least 20 people, and a missile attack on a supermarket in Odessa. The war shows no sign of abating, but Burnham's trip reinforced Britain's position as Ukraine's most consistent European ally.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Burnham's first international trip as Prime Minister was to Ukraine, where he carried classified British missile technology, including secret designs for Scalp missiles for production in Ukraine. | · | |||||||
| Burnham promised to help Ukraine produce Storm Shadow cruise missiles that can strike deep inside Russia. | · | |||||||
| Russia accused the UK of fuelling the war in Ukraine. | · | · | ||||||
| The Kremlin said Britain is taking part in the war on Ukraine's side. | · | · | ||||||
| Burnham will chair a session of the coalition of the willing, with French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz attending. | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Burnham said UK support for Ukraine is unwavering. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| Russia warned of consequences for the UK, and the Russian ambassador to London has left and not been replaced. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| Burnham will ask President Trump to supply Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| Russia recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Andrei Kelin, with no replacement announced. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| US President Trump previously suggested Ukraine could produce Patriot missiles but later said it would be hard to share the technology. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| A drone strike hit Chernihiv on Independence Day. | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Andy Burnham delayed a decision on North Sea drilling, citing the optics of embracing fossil fuels. | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News did not cover the Ukraine story at all. Instead, both transcripts (GBN Tonight and The Camilla Tominey Show) focused on Andy Burnham's domestic record, especially his perceived flip-flopping on North Sea oil, immigration, and prisoner release. The tone was critical, framing Burnham as indecisive and internally divided within Labour. No mention of his Kyiv visit, missile promises, or the Patriot request.
- “Andy Burnham has been Prime Minister for a matter of weeks. The idea that you expect him to decide and give an opinion on every big issue that faces the country in a matter of weeks is ridiculous.”
- “It's a tightrope act that Andy Burnham must perform now. If he falls to the right and tries to court reform voters, he will lose voters to the left.”
ITV1's coverage was straight news, focusing on the symbolism of Burnham's first foreign trip and the practical details of the missile blueprint handover. It included on-the-ground reporting from Kyiv (Harry Horton) and a Q&A with Burnham where he dismissed Russian threats. The tone was factual and supportive of the government's position.
- “We are with you in this struggle all the way, heart and soul. And despite Russia's outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine's defence.”
- “No, we're just providing unwavering support to Ukraine. That's what we are doing and that's what we've done since the start of the conflict and it won't change.”
BBC News provided the most comprehensive coverage, including multiple segments across the day. It reported the visit, the missile announcement, Russian reaction, and crucially the later development that Burnham will travel to the US to lobby Trump for Patriot missiles. The tone was authoritative, with expert analysis from defence researchers and correspondents. It also highlighted the gap in air defence and the challenges of producing missiles domestically.
- “I will travel to the US to ask President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with Patriot air defence missiles.”
- “Who started the fire? That's the question, isn't it? Ukraine did not do that, Russia began this illegal invasion.”
Sky News emphasised the diplomatic and military significance, with analysis from international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and political correspondents. It noted the reciprocal benefit for Britain (access to Ukrainian AI technology) and framed the visit as a signal of continuity. The tone was analytical, exploring the risks of Russian retaliation and the shortage of Patriot interceptors.
- “The bigger picture is that this war between Russia and Ukraine isn't just about those two countries. It's about the long-term security of Europe.”
- “Britain wants to tap into something that Ukraine, and only Ukraine really has, operational experience in fighting the new kind of war.”
Channel 4's coverage was distinctive for including the unscripted moment when Burnham played a guitar handed to him by a Ukrainian soldier, and for highlighting that the UK will gain access to Ukrainian AI technology. The tone was slightly more critical, noting that Ukraine's urgent need is for interceptors, not just long-range missiles, and that Trump has backtracked on Patriot technology. The report also featured an interview with Foreign Office Minister Lord Wood.
- “What Ukraine needs most though is protection against this. Russian ballistic missile attacks on civilian targets.”
- “It is American Patriot interceptor missiles that Ukraine needs to protect its civilians, and Donald Trump has backtracked on his offer to give Ukraine the designs for them.”
Channel 5's coverage was concise and factual, following the standard news bulletins. It reported the trip, the missile blueprint handover, and the Russian reaction. It also included a political correspondent's analysis that Burnham, previously domestic-focused, made Ukraine a priority. The tone was neutral and straightforward.
- “We are with you in this struggle all the way, heart and soul. And as Prime Minister, let me say that I am with you personally.”
- “Britain is participating in this war on the side of the Kiev regime. Britain methodically and regularly fans the flame.”
BBC ONE West provided regional coverage, largely echoing the main BBC News reports. It included a segment on the crash in Middlesbrough (the lead story for the region) and then the Ukraine news. The tone was similar to BBC News, with reports from Dan Johnson in Kyiv and Steve Rosenberg in Moscow. It included the detail that Burnham accepted an award on behalf of the British people.
- “It is my first overseas visit and I chose to do this and I hope it tells you something about the importance that I attach to your cause.”
- “Who started the fire? That's the question isn't it? Ukraine did not do that, Russia began this illegal invasion.”
BBC Two's Newsnight provided a more analytical and debate-focused segment. It included an interview with a former Russian deputy foreign minister, Andrei Fedorov, who warned of possible semi-military attacks against British factories and cyber strikes. The tone was probing, examining the risks of escalation. It also featured a panel discussion on the politics of the visit.
- “It's a sign of where we are that it doesn't feel like a big escalation but if you think back to the rows when Joe Biden was American president and you didn't want to let long-range missiles be handed to the Ukrainians precisely because they thought it could start a nuclear war.”
- “There might be not only verbal but maybe some visible reaction from Russia towards UK.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.